nerdy engagement photographer Archives - Houston Wedding Photographer

Engagement portraits are a timeless way to capture the love and connection between two people as they embark on the journey toward marriage. While traditional settings like parks, beaches, and urban landscapes provide beautiful backdrops, more couples are seeking unique and adventurous locations that reflect their shared passions and personalities. One such innovative and thrilling option is indoor rock climbing engagement portraits.

On a not so rare occasion, I get to take engagement photos in locations I never would have dreamed I would find myself. As I’ve settled into my niche as a nerdy/off the wall wedding photographer, I have gotten to suggest unique locations. When I met Salem & Melanie and they told me about some of the things they love to do, I just knew we were going to have an epic engagement portrait session!

We met up at their gym, InSPIRE Rock Climbing Gym in the middle of the week during spring break (hoping to get the place mostly to ourselves). I had a blast shooting from the ground, but you know I had to get up the wall myself! I love rock climbing almost as much as I love getting a different and unique angle on portraits!

For couples who share a love for rock climbing, this setting symbolizes their relationship’s challenges and triumphs. Climbing together requires trust, communication, and support – all essential elements of a strong partnership. Capturing these moments in a familiar environment highlights the couple’s shared interests and how they work together to reach new heights.

If you are interested in epic, unique engagement photos, shoot me an email!

Check out Salem & Melanie’s photos below!

How to look smexy in your photos, while still looking like you!

As you may (God I hope you have) noticed by now, I specialize in all things nerd. I love a good nerdy couple with their nerdy interests sprinkled, or shoved, into your face in their photos, their wedding decor, their whole being. One thing I can tell you I hear a lot from my couples, I always feel awkward, or I’m not really sexy.

Here’s what I want to ask you my nerd:

Is Hahn Solo sexy?
What about Princess Leia or Queen Amidala (especially when she’s kicking ass like in Attack of the Clones)?
Is there an Anime character you had/have a crush on?
- As a kid, I crushed HARD on Quatre Raberba Winner…
Is Rhysand or Xaden sexy?
How about Flynn Rider?
What about a DND character you or someone else created?

The point is, those characters are sexy because they were heroic and confident. They were filled with passion and desire. Anyone can be heroic and confident! You can take your passions and personality and form them into a shell to enhance your sex appeal. Use it!

Here are some tips to using your passions to help you feel & look sexy in your photos:

Think about your favorite character you want to emulate and get into their stance, their gait their slouch… Then make it your own.
Be gentle while still feeling powerful.
- Your hands & fingers should always be touching your partner delicately, but you should be using your strength to pull them tight against you.
- Using a single finger (like your thumb or pointer) push your partners chin up to look at you.
Take deep confident breaths
- One of my favorite things to do to help make an image sexy is to have my couple lean in to kiss painfully slowly. Take a breath with your mouth right before you kiss.
- Take deep confident breaths with your mouth while nuzzling your partners neck or hair.
Be possessive of your partner (More passion!)
- This person is yours. You would die for them. You would kill for them… hold them accordingly. Look into their eyes like you mean it. Kiss them as if it was your last kiss.

Take these suggestions and make them your own. I will always be here to help you look good, but you need to feel confident and madly in love with your partner to make your images hit that level of fire! Be confident in who you are! You are the only you there is in this world (and probably the next).